CORE LAB Only: The primary aim of the proposed project is to examine the effects of doula support on salivary cortisol levels of laboring women so the underlying physiological mechanism of doula support can be understood. Our hypothesis is that the presence of a supportive doula will cause a laboring woman's cortisol levels to be lower than when the doula is not present. The secondary aim of this project is to observe the effects of the doula's presence on the parents' interactions with their newborn. If the doula encourages the parents to hold their baby, parents may be likely to spend a greater proportion of time holding the infant in the first two hours after birth.